your children will inherit it。〃
〃Dmitri； don't！〃 said Nathalie。
〃If I do give it away； all I can say is that the rest will be
theirs； as it is not likely I shall marry； and if I do marry I
shall have no children； so that〃
〃Dmitri； don't talk like that！〃 said Nathalie。 And yet Nekhludoff
noticed that she was glad to hear him say it。
Higher up； by the side of a first…class carriage； there stood a
group of people still looking at the carriage into which the
Princess Korchagin had been carried。 Most of the passengers were
already seated。 Some of the late comers hurriedly clattered along
the boards of the platform； the guard was closing the doors and
asking the passengers to get in and those who were seeing them
off to come out。
Nekhludoff entered the hot； smelling carriage； but at once
stepped out again on to the small platform at the back of the
carriage。 Nathalie stood opposite the carriage； with her
fashionable bonnet and cape； by the side of Agraphena Petrovna；
and was evidently trying to find something to say。
She could not even say ecrivez； because they had long ago laughed
at this word； habitually spoken by those about to part。 The short
conversation about money matters had in a moment destroyed the
tender brotherly and sisterly feelings that had taken hold of
them。 They felt estranged； so that Nathalie was glad when the
train moved； and she could only say； nodding her head with a sad
and tender look； 〃Goodbye； good…bye； Dmitri。〃 But as soon as the
carriage had passed her she thought of how she should repeat her
conversation with her brother to her husband； and her face became
serious and troubled。
Nekhludoff； too； though he had nothing but the kindest feelings
for his sister； and had hidden nothing from her； now felt
depressed and uncomfortable with her； and was glad to part。 He
felt that the Nathalie who was once so near to him no longer
existed； and in her place was only a slave of that hairy；
unpleasant husband； who was so foreign to him。 He saw it clearly
when her face lit up with peculiar animation as he spoke of what
would peculiarly interest her husband； i。e。； the giving up of the
land to the peasants and the inheritance。
And this made him sad。
CHAPTER XL。
THE FUNDAMENTAL LAW OF HUMAN LIFE。
The heat in the large third…class carriage； which had been
standing in the burning sun all day； was so great that Nekhludoff
did not go in； but stopped on the little platform behind the
carriage which formed a passage to the next one。 But there was
not a breath of fresh air here either； and Nekhludoff breathed
freely only when the train had passed the buildings and the
draught blew across the platform。
〃Yes； killed；〃 he repeated to himself； the words he had used to
his sister。 And in his imagination in the midst of all other
impressions there arose with wonderful clearness the beautiful
face of the second dead convict； with the smile of the lips； the
severe expression of the brows； and the small； firm ear below the
shaved bluish skull。
And what seemed terrible was that he had been murdered； and no
one knew who had murdered him。 Yet he had been murdered。 He was
led out like all the rest of the prisoners by Maslennikoff's
orders。 Maslennikoff had probably given the order in the usual
manner； had signed with his stupid flourish the paper with the
printed heading； and most certainly would not consider himself
guilty。 Still less would the careful doctor who examined the
convicts consider himself guilty。 He had performed his duty
accurately； and had separated the weak。 How could he have
foreseen this terrible heat； or the fact that they would start so
late in the day and in such crowds？ The prison inspector？ But the
inspector had only carried into execution the order that on a
given day a certain number of exiles and convictsmen and
womenhad to be sent off。 The convoy officer could not be guilty
either； for his business was to receive a certain number of
persons in a certain place； and to deliver up the same number。
He conducted them in the usual manner； and could not foresee that
two such strong men as those Nekhludoff saw would not be able to
stand it and would die。 No one is guilty； and yet the men have
been murdered by these people who are not guilty of their murder。
〃All this comes；〃 Nekhludoff thought； 〃from the fact that all
these people； governors； inspectors； police officers； and men；
consider that there are circumstances in which human relations
are not necessary between human beings。 All these men；
Maslennikoff； and the inspector； and the convoy officer； if they
were not governor； inspector； officer； would have considered
twenty times before sending people in such heat in such a
masswould have stopped twenty times on the way； and； seeing
that a man was growing weak； gasping for breath； would have led
him into the shade； would have given him water and let him rest；
and if an accident had still occurred they would have expressed
pity。 But they not only did not do it； but hindered others from
doing it； because they considered not men and their duty towards
them but only the office they themselves filled； and held what
that office demanded of them to be above human relations。 〃That's
what it is；〃 Nekhludoff went on in his thoughts。 〃If one
acknowledges but for a single hour that anything can be more
important than love for one's fellowmen； even in some one
exceptional case； any crime can be committed without a feeling of
guilt。〃
Nekhludoff was so engrossed by his thoughts that he did not
notice how the weather changed。 The sun was covered over by a
low…hanging； ragged cloud。 A compact； light grey cloud was
rapidly coming from the west； and was already falling in heavy；
driving rain on the fields and woods far in the distance。
Moisture； coming from the cloud； mixed with the air。 Now and then
the cloud was rent by flashes of lightning； and peals of thunder
mingled more and more often with the rattling of the train。 The
cloud came nearer and nearer； the rain…drops driven by the wind
began to spot the platform and Nekhludoff's coat； and he stepped
to the other side of the little platform； and； inhaling the
fresh； moist airfilled with the smell of corn and wet earth
that had long been waiting for rainhe stood looking at the
gardens； the woods； the yellow rye fields； the green oatfields；
the dark…green strips of potatoes in bloom； that glided past。
Everything looked as if covered over with varnishthe green
turned greener； the yellow yellower； the black blacker。
〃More！ more！〃 said Nekhludoff； gladdened by the sight of gardens
and fields revived by the beneficent shower。 The shower did not
last long。 Part of the cloud had come down in rain； part passed
over； and the last fine drops fell straight on to the earth。 The
sun reappeared； everything began to glisten； and in the eastnot
very high above the horizonappeared a bright rainbow； with the
violet tint very distinct and broken only at one end。
〃Why； what was I thinking about？〃 Nekhludoff asked himself when
all these changes in nature were over； and the train ran into a
cutting between two high banks。
〃Oh！ I was thinking that all those people （inspector； convoy
menall those in the service） are for the greater part kind
peoplecruel only because they are serving。〃 He recalled
Maslennikoff's indifference when he told him about what was being
done in the prison； the inspector's severity； the cruelty of the
convoy officer when he refused places on the carts to those who
asked for them； and paid no attention to the fact that there was
a woman in travail in the train。 All these people were evidently
invulnerable and impregnable to the simplest feelings of
compassion only because they held offices。 〃As officials they
were impermeable to the feelings of humanity； as this paved
ground is impermeable to the rain。〃 Thus thought Nekhludoff as he
looked at the railway embankment paved with stones of different
colours； down which the water was running in streams instead of
soaking into the earth。 〃Perhaps it is necessary to pave the
banks with stones； but it is sad to look at the ground； which
might be yielding corn； grass； bushes； or trees in the same way
as the ground visible up there is doingdeprived of vegetation；
and so it is with men；〃 thought Nekhludoff。 〃Perhaps these
governors； inspectors； policemen； are needed； but it is terrible
to see men deprived of the chief human attribute； that of love
and sympathy for one another。 The thing is；〃 he continued； 〃that
these people consider lawful what is not lawful； and do not
consider the eternal； immutable law； written in the hearts of men
by God； as law。 That is why I feel so depressed when I am with
these people。 I am simply afraid of them； and really they are
terrible； more terrible than robbers。 A robber might； after all；
feel pity； but they can feel no pity； they are inured against
pity as these stones are against vegetation。 That is what makes
them terrible。 It is said that the Pougatcheffs； the Razins
＇leaders of rebellions in Russia： Stonka Razin in the 17th and
Pougatcheff in the 18th century＇ are terrible。 These are a
thousand times more terrible；〃 he continued； in his thoughts。 〃If
a psychological problem were set to find means of making men of
our timeChristian； humane； simple； kind peopleperform the
most horrible crimes without feeling guilty； only one solution
could be devised： to go on doing what is being done。 It is only
necessary that these people should he governors； inspectors；
policemen； that they should be fully convinced that there is a
kind of business； called government service； which allows men to
treat other men as things； without human brotherly relations with
them； and also that these people should be so linked together by
this government service that the responsibility for the results
of their actions should not fall on any one of them separately。
Without these conditions； the terrible acts I witnessed to…day
would be impossible in our times。 It all lies in the fact that
men think there are circumstances in which one may deal with
human beings without love； and there are no such circumstances。
One may deal with things without love。 one m